Friday, May 25, 2018

EU ON THE BRINK: 12 members losing faith in Brussels as they tell leaders to listen

EUROPEAN UNION citizens from 12 member states have sent a shock warning to Brussels bosses in a survey released to promote the successes of the European political project.Brussels lauded their findings as showing the “highest support for the EU in 35 years” but a resounding number of participates told the bloc’s leaders they do not believe “my voice counts in the EU”.
Over 27,000 people across the Continent took part in the poll – which was released to mark one year until the European Parliament elections in May 2019 – heralded a new-found support for anti-establishment and eurosceptic movements across Europe.
The survey, carried out for the European Parliament by consultancy firm Kantar Public, showed how attitudes dramatically varied across the bloc, providing warnings to the political elite who govern the Continent from Brussels. While the overall survey said 48 percent of EU citizens agree their voice counts and only 46 percent disagree, shocking results revealed citizens in Greece, Estonia, Italy and Spain don’t quite share the same enthusiasm.In Greece, 76 percent of respondents do not think their voice counts in the EU, this is followed by the Estonians of whom 72 percent shared the same view.
The UK, Latvia, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic also make up the list where support for the EU is wavering.
Ageing eurocrats in Brussels may also be disheartened by the youth signalling new and often eurosceptic movements can “find solutions better” than existing parties, with 63 percent of Europeans youth, and 24 and under, agreeing with the sentiment.
Italy’s incoming populist government – comprising of a coalition between Five Star and League – is acting as a sign to EU bosses, with twice as many people in the country believing their voice isn’t herd at EU level.Italians are also the least likely to believe their country has benefited from EU membership, with 44 percent agreeing and 41 percent voting the other way. Also, 49 percent of the country’s participants believe the EU is heading in the wrong direction.
The Greeks were the most scathing when it came to the question on the EU heading in the “wrong direction” with 68 percent of respondents voicing their concerns about Brussels.
The survey is likely to provide grim reading for European Parliament officials attempting to get more people to come out and vote, especially with the 2014 ballot featuring a record low with just a 42.6 percent turnout.
According to this year’s survey, only half of the EU population has an interest in the upcoming elections.
They, however, stressed terrorism as their biggest issue, ahead of youth unemployment and immigration.https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/964459/EU-news-European-Parliament-survey-elections-2019